A consultation paper on the long-term shape of congenital heart services across the UK was launched by NHS England on Monday.

Under the proposals, all 10 hospitals that offer children’s heart surgery - including Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital - could in theory keep operating.

The plans could bring to an end the long-running controversy which had left a question mark over the long-term future of the Tyneside unit.

Ten hospitals currently perform children’s heart surgery.

But in July 2012, the Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts decided that the services should be concentrated in specialist centres to improve safety.

It said surgery should continue at Newcastle’s Freeman but stop at Leeds General Infirmary, Leicester’s Glenfield Hospital and London’s Royal Brompton, the decision provoking widespread opposition.

After campaigns to save them, the High Court quashed the decision, saying the consultation had been flawed and “ill judged”. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt then ordered a review of the review.

The document is the result of more than a year of discussions with interested parties who worked together to try and find an agreed way forward.

Instead of listing units to keep and units to close, NHS England has outlined a set of standards that hospitals will be expected to meet.

According to the standards set down in the review, every unit must have at least four surgeons to provide necessary round-the-clock treatment. At present many do not. Also, the plans state every surgeon must carry out at least 125 operations a year, to ensure they are expert in the complex procedures.

The standards cover 13 areas including communication with patients and their families; working with other healthcare services patients might need; and support for patients and their families when their disease is not responsive to treatment.

Sir Leonard Fenwick

Responding to the paper, Sir Leonard Fenwick, chief executive of Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We welcome the consultation and recognise that as ever the devil is in the detail hence shall take an evidence based approach to scrutinise all elements now promulgated by NHS England.

“Newcastle has a longstanding demonstrable track record of international standing with best in class outcomes involving the most complex and high risk cases referred to us from around the United Kingdom.

“In anticipation of securing ‘Specialist Surgical Centre’ accreditation we have already drawn up detailed plans to enhance our facilities at the Freeman Hospital and which are later this month to be considered by the planning committee of Newcastle City Council.”

NHS England say families and the charities that support them, surgeons, doctors, hospital managers and politicians have been brought into the discussions to try finally to reach consensus.

Dr Jackie Cornish, national clinical director for Children, Young People and Transition to Adulthood, NHS England, said: “Our aim is to ensure a high standard of service is sustainable for future generations of children.”

Professor Huon Gray, national clinical director for Heart Disease, NHS England, said: “Patients, the public, doctors and surgeons told us the best way to improve services is to implement the same set of standards across the board.

“They spoke and we listened. We now want to gather people’s views on our proposals – it is absolutely crucial we get this right for patients and we want to hear what people think.”

Joanne Gleeson’s son Oliver was born with half a heart and spent most of his young life in Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital.

The 23-month-old as had nine life-saving operations and remains a regular at the hospital’s Children’s Heart Unit.

The 43-year-old said: “I wish they could finally put an end to this issue. As parents, we just want to know the unit is safe and I don’t feel this report is giving us any reassurance.”